John c



(No Model) J. 0. WILSON.

MUNICIPAL TELEGRAPH. No. 380,779. Patented Apr. 10, 1888.

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STATES NITE JOHN C. WVILSON, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO THE MUNICI- PAL SIGNAL COMPANY, OF PORTSMOUTIQF, NEW HAMPSHIRE.

iVlUNlCiPAL. TELEGRAPH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 380,779, dated April 10, 1888.

Application filed Juy 28, 1886. Serial No. 209,304. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

nication is established between a main office orpolice-station and signal-boxes on the streets that are provided with appliances for enabling responsible citizens to transmit signals to the main office, so as to summon police aid, when required, and also for enabling police officers .or other authorized persons to transmit various telegraphic messages or to place themselves in telephonic communication with the main office, if required.

Apparatus of this class previously devised by me and described in various prior patents and applications has been arranged to serve, also, like a watchmans detector, to indicate whether or not the policeman is attending to his duty, this being effected by causing the policeman to send a patrol or onduty signal from the boxes at stated times, the said signals being distinguished in some manner at the receivingstation from the want-calls, or those that require some action to be taken immediately upon their receipt.

In another application, Serial No. 206,571, filed June 29, 1886, I have described a system in which the patrol-signals may be dispensed with and only the want-calls transmitted, the signal-boxes in said system containing indicating'signals, preferably perceptible from the outside of the box, controlled by the attend ant at the main office, and indicating to an officer upon arrival at a box whether or not he is wanted to place himself in communication with the main office. In theapparatus shown in that application the indicating-signals at all the boxes on one circuit were operated simultaneously from the main office, so that the officer would perceive the signal at any box on the circuit, and might consequently neglect to visit all the boxes on his beat without danger of immediate detection.

The present invention provides for causing the officer to visit all the boxes at the prescribed time, or for detecting whether or not he does visit any given box.

The invention is embodied in a system in which the boxes are provided with indicatingsignals, preferably perceptible from the out side of the box, without opening the same, the said signals being so constructed and co-operating with operating devices at the main office of such a character that any desired one of the signals may be set independently of the others, so that if there is reason to suppose that an officer neglects to visit any one box the signal may be set at that box, and if the officer does not respond within the proper period of time he can be called to account for to contain various novel features by which it is especially adapted for the purpose intended and for working in conjunction with the circuit and apparatus employed for telegraphic and telephonic communication between the main office and the sub-stations or boxes on the streets. v

Figure 1 is a front elevation of a signal-box forming part of a municipal telegraph system embodying this invention, and Fig. 2 a diagram representing the circuit and instrument therein.

The signal-box a, containing signaltransmitting mechanism for transmitting telegraphic messages, may be of usual construction, being substantially the same as shown in various patents granted to me, the said transmitting mechanism being arranged to be operated by a key inserted-in the key-hole or, accessible when the boxdoor'is closed, and employed by citizens for the purpose of summoning police aid at the box. The box is also shown as containing a multiple signal-transmitting device controlled by a pointer, a cooperating with a dial, a having different wants indicated thereon and arranged to transmit a special telegraphic signal to indicate what is wanted in connection with the signal representing the number of the box to show the station at which the want is to be supplied. These features are common to the application shown in various patents previously granted to me. The box also contains a telephone, T, for communicating with the attendant at the main oifice, as provided for in the systems previously patented by me.

The present invention consists, mainly, in providing each box with an indicating signal, preferably a visual signal, consisting of a target or annunciator-drop, b, shown as supported on an arm, 1), controlled by the armature c of an electromagnet, c, the arm b being normally engaged to retain the target concealed by the said armature when the magnet c is demagnetized.

The box-door a and the inner plate, a that protects the mechanism of the box, are provided with sight-openings a (0 through which the target I) may be seen when dropped, and there will preferably be a background, a", having a luminous or phosphorescent surface at the rear of the drop or target b, as described and claimed in my former application hereinbefore referred to. The magnet c is placed in a normally-open branch of the main circuit controlled by a device having a step-by-step movement, and also by a circuit-controlling device or switch, shown as operated by an electromagnet and polarized armature, which may also operate a bell, S, used in the box as an audible-signal-receiving instrument, as described in my former application.

The operation of the devices controlling the movement of the drops I) in the various boxes may be best understood by referring to the diagram, Fig. 2, which shows the instruments at the main office and at one of the boxes and the circuit connecting the same.

The apparatus at the main office comprises a receivingrelay, r, controlling a local circuit containing a register, R, of usual construction, for receiving telegraphic messages, and also a pole-changing instrument, P, of usual construction, by which the connection of the terminals of the main battery B with the terminals 4L 5 of the main line may be reversed in the usual manner, and also a switch or key, K, for breaking the circuit. From the terminal 4 at the pole-changer P the main line is continued, as shown at 6, to the boxes or out stations 0, at which the line entering passes through the transmitting apparatus, consisting of the usual break-wheels, an m, the former for transmitting the number of the box and the latter for transmitting the desired one of the special want-signals, as in other apparatus of this class previously in use, it being understood that there are several wheels m, each having a different-shaped signaling-surface, and that any desired one of said wheels is brought into circuit by the movement of the pointer cf, Fig. 1. From the transmitting devices m m the circuit is continued, as shown at 7, to the actuating-magnet d of the step-bystep device that controls the operation of the indicating-signal b, and from the said magnet the circuit is continued, as at 8, to the magnet t of the polarized signaling-instrument, used in this case also as a switch or circuit-changer. From said magnet i the circuit is continued, as at 9, to the telephone T, from which it continues through the other boxes at to the apparatus at the main office, before mentioned.

The magnet c of the indicating-instrument. is in a branch, 12, from the main line 7 before it reaches the magnet d, the said branch 12 being continued to a contact-piece forming one member of a circuit-closer, the other member, i, of which is movable and actuated by the armature of the magnet z, and is connected by wire 13 with the wire 9 beyond the magnet a. Thus,if the branch 12 13 is closed at 'L,the current will divide between the magnet c in one branch and the magnets d and 2' in the other branch, a sufficient amount passing through the magnet c to energize the same and to release the drop b, which, preferably, in falling operates to open a normally-closed circuitbreaker, f, in the branch 12, leaving said branch open as long as the signal remains displayed. The normal polarity of the line-current is such as to retain the armature of the magnet t in position to open the branch 12 13 at t" and to close a similar circuit-controller, i", atthe other side of the said magnet, the purpose of which will be hereinafter described, and it will be seen that it is only necessary to cause a current of the opposite polarity to pass through the magnet in order to open the circuit at i and close the branch circuit at i, and thus cause the drop Z) to fall. In order to enable the magneti to be thus affected at any desired station, but unaffected at the other stations, the said magnet is provided with a shunt, 14 15, of low resistance that includes a circuit-controller, d d", one member of which consists of a disk fixed on the shaft (1 that is provided with a ratchet, (1*, arranged to be operated with a step-by-step movement of the armature of the magnet d in the well-known manner.

The main portion of the periphery of the wheel (7/ is arranged to maintain contact with the spring (2 closing the shunt 14 15 of the magnet vi, so that the currents on the main line do not affect the said magnet; but each of the said wheels d at the different boxes is provided with a notch, d, that comes opposite the spring (1 and opens the shunt 14 15 at the unison or common starting-point for the movement of the step-by-step devices of the different boxes. Each disk d is also provided with a second notch, al at a different distance from the notch (l in each different box, so that the notch d at any given box is brought opposite to thespring d to open the shunt after a definite number, different for each box, of step movements of the ratchet cl from the unison or common starting-point, the magnetst' in the different boxes thus being brought into circuit one at a time. Thus, when desired to operate the signal Z1 at any station, the proper number of step movements is given to the ratchet d by opening and closing the circuit, and thus affecting the magnets (2 in the usual manner, and at the end of said movements the notch (I will be brought under the spring (1 at the station in question, as shownin the drawings, but at no other station, and then by reversing the polarity of the current in the main circuit the armature of the magnet t at that station only is affected and closes the branch 12 13, causing thedrop b to fall, as before described. If it is desired to operate the indicating-signals at more than one box or station,they may be successively operated in this manner, the apparatus differing from the usual individual signals in this particular-namely, that one or more of said signals may be operated, as desired.

The unison of the step-by-step devices is effected in the following manner: The normally closed circuit-closer t" of the magnet t is in a shunt, 16 17 18, for the magnet d, which shunt also includes a circuit-controlling device, 6 e, the member 6 of which is rotated by the ratchet d and is so arranged that during the main portion of its rotation the shunt 16 17 18 is open; but when the wheel earrives at the unison point a projectiome thereof comes in con tact with the spring 6, thus closing the shunt 16 17 18, so that any additional impulses that may be applied to the line to bring up the step-by-step devices that may have lagged behind will have no effect on the magnet (l of the instrument that has arrived at the unison point.

In practice it will generally be best to bring the instruments to the unison point after the drops 6 have been released at the desired boxes, and thenhave the apparatus, with the magnets d, shunted out of circuit.

In order to start the step'by-step devices from the unison point,it is necessary to break the shunts 16 17 18 around the magnets d, which is effected by the polarized instruments '1, and for this purpose the said instruments t have to be in circuit at all the boxes when the step-by'step instruments are at the unison point. This is effected by the second notch, (2 in the wheel d, that controls the shunt 14 15 for the magnet t", the said notch coming into position to open the said shunt around the magnet i at the same moment the circuitcloser e c closes the shunt for the magnet d. A wheel, f, and co-operating pen f are included in the branch 12, said wheel being fixed to the shaft carrying the wheels d, e, and d,

and having a notch,f-, corresponding in position with the notch d of the wheel d, so that when the shunt 16 17 18 is closed by the proj ection e at unison point the other shunt, 14: 15, is opened by the notch 61 of the wheel 01, the branch 12 will be opened by the notchf of the wheel f, for purposes to be described.

When theinstruments are again to be operated, the line-current will be reversed from the polarity by which the step-by-step instruments are normally operated, thus changing the position of the armatures of the instruments 2? at all the boxes and opening at i the shunt 16 17 18 for the magnet d, which will thus be energized and move the ratchet ahead one step, which will be sufficient to break said shunt 16 17 18 at e 6, so that when the current is again reversed for the purpose of opening the branch 12 13 at t" the magnet (1 will still remain in circuit. \Vhen the armature of instrument t is moved to open the shunt 16 17 18, it closes the shunt 12 13, and were it not for the branch being opened atf the drops would fall. drop b will be restored by hand by the officer upon arriving at the box, and when the drop is found displayed the officer will understand that he is directed to open the box and com municate with the main oflice by means of the telephone; or, in cases where telephonic communication is not provided for, the drop or indicating-signal may be understood as a direction for the officer to proceed to the main oflice.

Signals of this kind may be used both for discovering whether or not the officer is attending to his duty, and also for facilitating police operations when required. For lnsta nee, if there is reason to suppose thatan officer neglects to visit any particular box so often as required, the signal may be set at that box only to discover whether or not the officer will respond within a reasonable time; but if the attendant at the main office desires to communicate with the officer on some matter of importance the signals may be set at all the boxes, so that the oflicer will respond from whichever box he may next come to.

I do not herein broadly claim a police-signal comprising a main office and several substations or street-boxes connected by a single wire and visual indicating-signals when the same consists of signal-lights for the several boxes adapted to be observed by a passing officer, and a controlling device for each signallight, and a circuit-eontrolling device located at the main station for effecting the operation of the several signal-light-controlling devices, whereby any one of the said lights may be operated to the exclusion of the others; nor do I herein claim apolice-signal system comprising a main ofiice and several sub-stations or boxes connected by a single wire, circuit- The IIO

changing devices contained in the boxes for the several sub stationsviz., a system of code signaling from the several sub-stations to the main station for aid, &c., and a system of signaling from the main station to the several sub-stations independently to call the attention of the passing officer; nor do I herein claim a police-signal system of the kind described having visual indicating-signals for the several boxes adapted to be set in their normal position by hand and to be released independently by electrically-controlled devices, whereby the said visual indicating-signals may be displayed one after another and retained displayed until moved back to their normal position by hand, as the same forms the subject-matter of another application, Serial No. 252,335, filed by me October 14, 1887, wherein I have shown some of the apparatus contained in the invention as especially adapted to change the appearance of a light.

I claim-- 1. A series of stations and circuit connecting the same, and indicating-instruments at said stations included in normally open branches of said circuit, combined with 2. normally-shunted electromagnetic circuit controlling device or switch governing the branch circuit of said indicating-instrument, and a step-by-step device controlling the shunt for said switch, whereby the said shunt is opened and the switch rendered operative at a definite position only of the step-by-step device, substantially as described. u

2. The combination of a step-bystep device and actuating-magnet therefor, with a shunt for said actuating-magnet, and a circuit-closer therein governed by said step-by-step device and arranged to close the said shunt at a definite position of said step-by-step device, and an electromagnetic circuit-controlling device or switch, also controlling the said shunt for the actuating-magnet of the step-by-step device, whereby said shunt may be opened and the step-by-step device again operated, substantially as described.

3. The combination of the step-by-step device and actuating-magnet therefor, with a shunt for the said actuating-magnet, and circuit-closer therein governed by the step-bystep device, arranged to close the said shunt when the step-bystep device arrives at the unison point, and an electromagnetic circuitcontrolling device or switch, also controlling ments at the substations, an electromagnetic device responsive to the impulses different from that employed in the transmission of the signals for operating the visual indicating-instruments, and another electromagnetic device controlled by the operator at the main office for including and thereby rendering operative the electromagnetic device controlling the operation of the visual indicating-instru ments, substantially as described.

5. In a police-signal system, the combination, substantially as described, of several substations and a main station and circuit connecting them, said main station containing a sigual-receiving instrument, a pole-changing key, and a signal-transmitting key, and the sub-stations containing the signal-transmitting device, a visual indicating instrument responsive to the movement of the pole-changing key of the main station, and an electro-magnetic device responsive to the transmittingkey of the main station for rendering operative by means of said pole-changing key the variaable indicating device of the several sub-stationsindependent1y,substantially as described.

6. In a municipal telegraph system, the combination of the actuating magnet, the shunt therefor, and means controlled by the armature of said actuating-magnet for closing said shuntat unison point, thereby cutting itself out, with an electromagnetic device responsive to the impulses different from that employed to effect the actuating-magnet for opening said shunt of the actuating-magnet that it may be again actuated, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

JOHN G. \VILSON.

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